5k on Turkey day

 While I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon my 8 year old daughter often asked to run or ride her bike with me while I ran. I could only reply, that after the marathon we would choose a race to run together. Painfully, my denial of her request stung more than once, she often sat in the dark at the top of the stairs as I prepared for pre dawn runs and say....

"Good morning, Daddy can I come with you?"
I would cringe with guilt at the request "No" I would say "I am training, you and I will run together after the marathon."
"ooook" she would say in a quiet dejected voice that daughters use to get right under dad's skin. Immediately making you wonder how good of a Dad you are. Getting going was always a challenge after this quiet conversation with the silhouette at the top of the stairs, I was always gratefully I could not see the expression on her face

 No sooner had I crossed the finish line on marathon day she asked "when are we going to start running?" We chose a Turkey Day 5k ,we had a few weekends to get some training runs in together so she and I developed a little training log and started a count down. 

 I will always remember our first run together. Before bed she set out her clothes and shoes for an early morning departure. When I woke her the next morning she sprung out of bed, dressed and was down stairs in an instant getting her shoes on. As I descended the stairs I heard her say to herself "this is so cool" I beamed!  We started with walking a mile, she quickly had enough of that and was eager to run. We lengthened our distance with a little running mixed with walking. Soon we were running more than walking  and finally race day.

 She was nervous she did not want me to leave her and was relieved when I told her we would do the entire race together running or walking we would finish. Start gun went off and she started talking and never stopped.....
"look at that guys hat"
"that guy has the same shoes as you"
"how long are we going to be doing this"
"look Pilgrims!" we were in Amish country, I laughed

 Our walking stints were short but few. In the final lap she told me she was tired and I mentioned that when I get tired I choose someone in front of me and try to catch them. If I catch them I choose someone else and try to catch them until I've finished. She started reeling people in and crossed the finish line in 37minutes with me right on her tail. It was my best race ever!